Apparatus for generating two color printing data, a method for generating two color printing data and recording media

ABSTRACT

A two-color print generating apparatus generates two-color print data based on color-converted image data in which the color of each pixel of full-color bit depth in an image is converted to a print color comprising a background color, a main color, or a secondary color. A color-reduced image data generator converts full-color image data to image data reduced to a specific number of colors. A color conversion unit generates color-converted image data in which the specified colors of the reduced-color image data are converted to colors that can be printed by the printer. A print data conversion unit converts the color converted color-converted image data to two-color print data. A color conversion selection unit sets the color conversion method and sets specific color conversion parameters based on the selected color conversion method. The processing of the invention can also be embodied as a method and/or specified as program instructions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a two-color print data generator,two-color print data generating method, and data storage medium. Morespecifically, the invention relates to a two-color print data generatorfor generating two-color print data based on color-converted image dataconverting the color of each pixel in a full-color image to be printedto printable colors that can be printed using a background color, maincolor, and secondary color, a two-color print data generating method,and a data storage medium.

2. Related Art

Methods and devices are available for converting full-color data tofull-color print data when a print command for printing a print objectcomprising full-color data is issued to a printer in a POS terminalsystem having a full-color printer, and full-color printing is possibleby inputting this full-color data to the full-color printer. The colorof each pixel in the full-color data is digitized typically using eithera RGB data format or CMY data format. Using the RGB data format it ispossible to represent 256*256*256=16,777,216 colors using the possiblecombinations of red, green, and blue luminance values each digitized asan integer in the range from 0 to 255. With the CMY data format, it ispossible to represent 256*256*256=16,777,216 colors using the possiblecombinations of cyan, magenta, and yellow luminance values eachdigitized as an integer in the range from 0 to 255.

3. Problem to be Resolved by the Invention

Printers for printing two colors are mostly used as the printers in POSterminal systems rather than full-color printers for reasons including alower printing cost. However, while it is necessary to input two-colorprint data converted from full-color data to the two-color printer,methods and means for converting full-color data to two-color print datahave not been available. Note that the two colors printable by atwo-color printer are referred to as the “main color” and the “secondarycolor,” and the color of the printing paper is called the “backgroundcolor.”

The present invention is therefore directed to a solution for the aboveproblem and an object of the invention is to provide a two-color printdata generator for generating two-color print data based oncolor-converted image data converting the color of each pixel in thefull-color data to be printed to print colors that can be printed usingthe background color, main color, and secondary color, and to atwo-color print data generating method and data storage medium.

4. Means for Solving the Problem

A first aspect of the two-color print data generating method accordingto the present invention is a method for generating two-color print datahaving a main color and a secondary color by means of the followingsteps (a) and (b), that is:

(a) a color reduction step for generating reduced-color image data inwhich each pixel color of full-color data is reduced to any one of thefollowing specified colors denoted by color intensity of three primarycolors,

-   -   (color 1, color 2, color 3)=(i, i, j)    -   (color 1, color 2, color 3)=(i, j, i)    -   (color 1, color 2, color 3)=(i, j, j)    -   (color 1, color 2, color 3)=(j, i, i)    -   (color 1, color 2, color 3)=(j, i, j)    -   (color 1, color 2, color 3)=(j, j, i)    -   (color 1, color 2, color 3)=(j, j, j); and

(b) a color conversion step for generating two-color print data byconverting each specified color in the reduced-color image data to amain color, secondary color, or background color according to thefollowing conditions:

(condition 1) convert the specified color denoted as (color 1, color 2,color 3)=(i, i, i) to the main color;

(condition 2) convert the specified color denoted as (color 1, color 2,color 3)=(j, j, j) to the background color;

(condition 3) convert the specified colors denoted as (color 1, color 2,color 3) ≠(j, j, j) and (color 1, color 2, color 3)≠(i, i, i) to thesecondary color. The first color, second color, and third color arepreferably, in no particular order, red, green, and blue, or in noparticular order cyan, magenta, and yellow.

Preferably, each pixel of the full-color data is denoted (color 1, color2, color 3)=(k₁−1, k₂−1, k₃−1) (where k₁, k₂, k₃ are integers of 3 orgreater), threshold values defined for the first color, second color,and third color and the values k₁−1, k₂−1, k₃—1 are compared in step(a), and each pixel color of the full-color data is reduced to one ofthe specified colors denoted by i or j based on the result of thecomparison.

A further aspect of a two-color print data generating method accordingto the present invention is a two-color print data generating methodhaving a main color and secondary color and comprising the followingsteps (a) to (c). That is:

(a) a color reduction step for generating reduced-color image data inwhich each pixel color in full-color data is reduced to one of aspecified number of colors;

(b) a color conversion step for generating two-color print data byconverting each specified color in the reduced-color image data to amain color, secondary color, or background color;

(c) a color conversion selection step for setting the main color andsecondary color, and selecting as the color conversion method used inthe color conversion step (b) one of the following steps:

-   -   (b1) a first color conversion process for uniformly converting        based on predefined conditions each specified color in the        reduced-color image data to the main color, secondary color, or        background color; and    -   (b2) a second conversion process for desirably converting each        specified color in the reduced-color image data to the main        color, secondary color, or background color based on a        changeable conversion table linking each specified color to the        main color, secondary color, or background color.

A data storage medium according to the present invention is a datastorage medium recording a program of the above two-color print datagenerating method. A two-color print data generating apparatus accordingto the present invention is an apparatus achieving the items specifiedby the above two-color print data generating method.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below withreference to the accompanying figures. It will be noted that thefollowing embodiments are described by way of example only and shall notlimit the scope of the present invention. Therefore, it will be obviousto one with ordinary skill in the related art that alternativeembodiments can be achieved by replacing some or all of the elementsdescribed below with an equivalent, and that all such variations areincluded in the scope of this invention.

(Example of a Two-color Print Data Generator)

FIG. 32 shows the position of a two-color print data generator.

The host 102 sends a print command for printing full-color data that isthe print object stored in memory in the host 102 through a two-colorprint data generator 101 to the two-color printer 103. The two-colorprint data generator 101 converts the full-color data to two-color printdata, and outputs the two-color print data with the print command to thetwo-color printer 103. Based on the received print command and two-colorprint data, the two-color printer 103 then prints to printing paper. Thefull-color data to be printed can be input to the two-color print datagenerator 101 from an image input device, or a function for generatingor inputting full-color data can be disposed in the two-color print datagenerator 101.

The two-color print data generator 101 can also be built in to the host102 and/or two-color printer 103 as a software or a hardware function.Specific examples for achieving this functionality in software and/orhardware include a driver for converting full-color data output from anapplication program run on the host 102 to print data and sending theprint data to the two-color printer 103, and a dedicated interface cardbuilt in to the host for converting full-color data to print data.

A two-color print data generator according to the present invention hasa color-reduced image data generator 201 for reducing the color of eachpixel in the full-color data that is the print object requested by thehost for printing to a specific number of designated colors to generatereduced-color image data, and a print data generator 205 for convertingthe designated colors in the reduced-color image data to the main color,secondary color, or background color to generate the two-color printdata. It also has a color conversion selection unit for setting the maincolor and secondary color, selecting the color conversion method, andinputting specific settings based on the color conversion method.

FIG. 33 is a function block diagram of the two-color print datagenerator.

The two-color print data generator 101 has a reduced-color image datagenerating unit 201, print data generating unit 205, and colorconversion selection unit 204. The print data generating unit 205 has acolor conversion unit 202 and print data conversion unit 203.

The color-reduced image data generator 201 reads the full-color dataprint object stored in the full-color data storage 211, converts theread full-color data to reduced-color image data reduced to a specificnumber of colors, and stores the converted reduced-color image data toreduced-color image data memory 212. For example, 16-bit or 24-bitfull-color data is converted by an error diffusion process or othermethod to RGB format reduced-color image data reduced to 8 colors.

The color conversion unit 202 reads the stored reduced-color image datafrom the reduced-color image data memory 212, reads the parameters andprogram for running the color conversion method selected by the colorconversion selection unit 204 (described below) from settings storage215, runs the conversion program to generate color-converted image datain which each specified color in the reduced-color image data isconverted to any color printable (referred to below as “printablecolors”) by the printer, and stores the resulting color-converted imagedata to color-converted image data storage 213.

The print data conversion unit 203 converts the color-converted imagedata to the two-color print data specific to the connected printer 103,and stores the two-color print data in print data memory 214. Forexample, if the printer 103 is a thermal line printer, data is convertedto raster data; if a serial inkjet printer, data is converted to bitimage data of a unit corresponding to the number of nozzles in theprinter. In other words, the color-converted image data is converted todata matching the specific structure of each printer, such as the printhead and buffer for receiving print data.

The color conversion selection unit 204 selects a color conversionmethod for converting each of the reduced colors to a color printable bythe printer, setting the necessary color conversion parameters accordingto the selected method, and storing the parameters to the settingsstorage 215.

Color conversion methods include a fixed conversion method forconverting each of the reduced colors to a fixed print color, and anadjustable conversion method for converting each specified color to adesired print color according to the print method by configuring theconversion tables relating printable colors and each specified color inthe reduced-color image data so that they can be freely modified by theuser. The color-converted image data is generated by converting eachspecified color to a printable color based on fixed conditions the usercannot change when a fixed conversion method is selected, and when anadjustable conversion method is selected color-converted image data isgenerated by converting each specified color to a printable color basedon a conversion table that can be defined and changed by the useraccording to the print method.

FIG. 34 shows reduced-color images and color-converted images.

If the number of reduced colors is eight, full-color data expressed bythe color intensity of each RGB color is converted by a simple colorreduction process to a reduced-color image of eight colors as shown inthe figure. The color intensity of each pixel in full-color image datacontaining k_(R)×k_(G)×k_(B) colors can be denoted as (R, G,B)=(k_(R)−1, k_(G)−1, k_(B)−1). To reduce the color of each pixel toeight colors, each color intensity value k_(R)−1, k_(G)−1, k_(B)31 1 iscompared with a threshold value defined for each RGB color, and thepixel is converted to a 0 if the value of each color intensity valuek_(R)−1, k_(G)−1, k_(B)−1 is less than the threshold value and convertedto a 1 if equal to or greater than the threshold value, thus generatingreduced-color image data containing eight colors. The full-color data isthus converted to reduced-color image data expressed with the eightcolors red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and white.

The reduced-color image data thus color-reduction processed to eightcolors is then converted by a fixed conversion method to color-convertedimage data represented by three colors, the two colors printable by theprinter and the background color of the printing paper. The two colorsprintable by the printer are referred to herein as the main color andthe secondary color. More specifically, the color of each pixel in thereduced-color image data represented by the digitized (R, G, B) colorintensity values is converted to the main color, secondary color, orbackground color based on the following three conditions.

-   Condition 1:

If (R, G, B)=(0, 0, 0), convert to the main color.

-   Condition 2:

If (R, G, B)=(1, 1, 1), convert to the background color.

-   Condition 3:

If (R, G, B)≠(1, 1, 1) and

-   -   (R, G, B)≠(0, 0, 0), convert to the secondary color.

For example, if the main color is black, the secondary color is red, andthe background color is white, the reduced-color image data is convertedto color-converted image data as shown in FIG. 34.

FIG. 35 is used to describe an example of a conversion table used in thefixed conversion method.

Based on specific defined conditions, a fixed conversion methoduniformly converts white, for example, in the reduced-color image datato the background color, and converts colors other than white in thereduced-color image data to the main color or secondary color.Therefore, if the digitized color of each pixel is color converted basedon the above three conditions, the eight colors in the reduced-colorimage data will be converted as follows to the three colors of the maincolor, secondary color, and background color. Note that F(color) belowis the converted color.

main color = F(black), black = (R,G,B) = (0,0,0) secondary color =F(blue), blue = (R,G,B) = (0,0,1) secondary color = F(green), green =(R,G,B) = (0,1,0) secondary color = F(cyan), cyan = (R,G,B) = (0,1,1)secondary color = F(red), red = (R,G,B) = (1,0,0) secondary color =F(magenta), magenta = (R,G,B) = (1,0,1) secondary color = F(yellow),yellow = (R,G,B) = (1,1,0) background color = F(white), white = (R,G,B)= (1,1,1)

Therefore, if the main color is black, secondary color is red, andbackground color is white, for example, red, green, blue, cyan, magenta,and yellow in the reduced-color image data will also be converted tored. However, if the main color is blue, secondary color is red, andbackground color is white, red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, and yellowin the reduced-color image data will all be converted to red, and evenblue pixels in the reduced-color image data will be converted to red.Colors not present in the reduced-color image data can also be specifiedas the main and secondary colors.

(Example of a Two-color Print Data Generating Method)

A two-color print data generating method according to the presentinvention has (a) a reduced-color image data generating step forgenerating reduced-color image data reducing the color of each pixel inthe full-color data print object to one of a specified number of colors,and (b) a print data generating step for generating two-color print databy color converting the specified colors in the reduced-color image datato a main color, secondary color, or background color.

FIG. 36 is an example of a flow chart of this two-color print datagenerating process.

First, full-color data is read from the full-color data storage 211(S501). The color of each pixel in full-color data is expressed using anumerical value for the color intensity of primary colors using an RGBdata format, CMY data format (CMYK data format), or other colorexpression method.

Next, the read full-color data is converted to reduced-color image datareduced to a specified number of colors (S502), and the convertedreduced-color image data is stored to reduced-color image data memory212 (S503). For example, full-color data denoted using the RGB formatwith R (=red), G (=green), and B (=blue) color intensity values rangingfrom 0 to 255 is compared with a threshold value predefined for eachcolor, and a value of 0 is assigned if the color intensity value is lessthan the threshold value and a 1 is assigned if greater than or equal tothe threshold value, generating reduced-color image data containingeight colors. A simple color reduction processing method, dithering,error diffusion, or other method can be used for color reductionprocessing.

Next, preset color conversion settings are read from settings storage215 (S504) and which color conversion method is selected is determinedfrom the read color conversion settings (S505).

If the color conversion method is a fixed conversion method (S505returns fixed conversion), color-reduced white is set to the backgroundcolor (=white) and colors other than the color-reduced white areuniformly converted to the main color or secondary color to generate thecolor-converted image data (S506), and the generated color-convertedimage data is stored to the color-converted image data storage 213(S507). For example, the eight colors represented as digitized colorintensity values based on the above-described conditions are convertedto the main color (=black), secondary color (=red), and the backgroundcolor (=white). Therefore, if the color of each pixel in thecolor-converted image data is written with (R,G,B) notation,black=(R,G,B)=(0,0,0), red=(R,G,B)=(1,0,0), and white=(R,G,B)=(1,1,1).

Next, the color of each pixel in the color-converted image data isconverted to two-color print data printable by the printer using themain color and secondary color (S508), and the converted two-color printdata is stored to the print data memory 214 (S509). More specifically,the color of each pixel in the color-converted image data is digitizedby applying the following equation based on the combination (main color,secondary color) of digitized main color and secondary color values.

main color=(main color, secondary color)=(1,0)

secondary color=(main color, secondary color)=(0,1)

background color=(main color, secondary color)=(0,0)

Note that in step S508 the color-converted image data is converted toprint data according to the specific configuration of the printer,including the print head and buffer for receiving the print data.

If the color conversion method is an adjustable color conversion method(S505 returns adjustable conversion), each specified color in thereduced-color image data is converted to the main color, secondarycolor, or background color according to a user-definable and editableconversion table (S514). It is also possible at this time to display aninput screen for selecting the assignment of each specified color to themain color, secondary color, or background color so that the user canset and change the conversion table according to the print method, forexample. For example, if H (color) is the color converted by theconversion table, the color can be defined as follows.

main color = H(blue), blue = (R,G,B) = (0,0,1) secondary color =H(green), green = (R,G,B) = (0,1,0) main color = H(cyan), cyan = (R,G,B)= (0,1,1) secondary color = H(red), red = (R,G,B) = (1,0,0) main color =H(magenta), magenta = (R,G,B) = (1,0,1) secondary color = H(yellow),yellow = (R,G,B) = (1,1,0) main color = H(black), black = (R,G,B) =(0,0,0)

Next, the color-converted image data generated in S514 is stored to thecolor-converted image data storage 213 (S515). As in step S508, thecolor-converted image data is then converted to two-color print dataprintable by the printer (S516), and the converted two-color print datais stored to the print data memory 214 (S517).

The two-color print data generating method of the present invention alsohas a color conversion data setting step for setting the main colors andsecondary colors, selecting the fixed conversion method or adjustableconversion method as the color conversion method, and setting thespecific settings when the adjustable conversion method is selected.

FIG. 37 is an example of a flow chart for the color conversion datasetting process. This color conversion data setting process selects thecolor conversion method for converting each specified color-reductionprocessed color to a printable color, and setting required colorconversion data based on the selected color conversion method.

First, the main colors and secondary colors are set from the colorsprintable by the printer (S601). For example, the main color is set toblack and the secondary color is set to red, both being printable by theprinter. The settings can be input by the user using a keyboard, mouse,or other input device.

The color conversion method is set next (S602). More specifically, theuser selects either the fixed conversion method or adjustable conversionmethod by way of an input device. The selected color conversion methodis then evaluated (S603), and if the fixed conversion method is thecolor conversion method (S603 returns fixed conversion), control movesto the next step S606.

If the color conversion method is the adjustable conversion method (S603returns adjustable conversion), the above-noted conversion table is setor changed according to the print method, for example, (S605), andcontrol moves to the next step S606.

Finally, the settings set in steps S601, S603, and S605 are stored tothe settings storage 215 (S606), and the color conversion data settingprocess ends.

A data storage medium according to the present invention can record aprogram having the steps of the above-described two-color print datagenerating method. In addition, the data storage medium of the presentinvention may be a Compact Disc, floppy disk, hard disk, magneto-opticaldisc, Digital Versatile Disc, magnetic tape, or memory card.

(Application with OPOS Drivers, for Example)

The two-color print data generating method of the present invention canalso be applied to a device control system such as provided by OLE forRetail POS (referred to below as OPOS), a printer driver that operatesunder the Windows (registered trademark) operating system.

This is described with reference to FIG. 23 and FIG. 24. FIG. 23 showsthe basic configuration of OPOS. In the present example device 74 is atwo-color printer.

OPOS provides an interface for printers and other peripheral devicesthat is not model-dependent to POS application programs based on astandard specification and operating under Windows. When the POSapplication program 70 outputs from the printer 74, the data is passedto the printer control object (CO) 71, from there to a service object(SO) 72 corresponding to the model of the printer used for printing, andthen through the operating system (Windows) 73 to the printer 74. If theprinter 74 is a printer for printing two colors, it is necessary toreduce the colors in an image with many colors for printing.

Because the service objects 72 primarily handle processes specific toeach device 70 in the device control system provided by OPOS, a colorreduction function for generating the reduced-color image data fromfull-color data, a color conversion function for converting thereduced-color image data to two-color print data, and a function forselecting the color conversion method and enabling the user to controlthe settings of the selected color conversion method as desiredaccording to the present invention is incorporated in the service objectservice object 72, and data is sent through the OS 73 to the printer 70after conversion to printable image data.

In other words, when full-color print data is passed from the POSapplication program 70 to the device control system provided by OPOS,the full-color print data is converted in the service object 72 to printdata for the POS printer based on the specified color reduction methodand color conversion process, and then sent through the OS 73 to theprinter 74. By performing such conversion processes in the serviceobject 72, the individual application programs do not need to run aprocess for converting full-color data to print data, and applicationdevelopment can thus be made easier.

The settings screen 400 is shown in FIG. 24. An image adjustment serviceroutine such as this color reduction from full-color data is provided inthe service object 72, and displaying a screen such as shown in FIG. 24is enabled. If color settings 401 is selected, for example, a controlbox 402 is displayed so that the color conversion method can be set andthe brightness values (threshold values for color reduction of thefull-color data) can be set. A color selection box 403 also enablesselecting the printable first color and second color (main color andsecondary color).

By predefining these various settings, full-color data can beautomatically converted to two-color print data and printed. Thesettings can also be freely changed as desired according to the image.

(Applications with a Logo Data Generating Apparatus)

The two-color print data generating method of the present invention canalso be applied to a logo data generating apparatus suitably used with aPOS printer as described below. More specifically, a color reductionfunction for generating reduced-color image data from full-color data, acolor conversion function for converting the reduced-color image data totwo-color print data, and a function for selecting the color conversionmethod and enabling the user to control the settings of the selectedcolor conversion method as desired according to the present inventionare incorporated in the logo editing tool 2 and logo data generatingapparatus 4 described below, which can generate two-color logo data tobe saved in a two-color POS printer.

An example of a procedure for registering a logo in a printer isdescribed first with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows the outline of aprocedure for sending to registering a logo in a printer.

To send and register logo data the logo to be registered must first besaved. This includes whether the logo to be registered is created new,whether an existing image file is used as is, and whether the filestoring a logo in current use is read and edited. The color reductionmethod and color assignments, and the size, for example, are specifiedin the source data 3 editing process. The source data that is the basisfor logo generation can be created new or an existing image file couldbe used. The logo editing tool 2 is used, for example, to create newsource data 3 to match the logo printing objective. Logo data is oftencreated for a particular printing purpose, including printing coupons,printing a company or store logo, or printing product advertising. Thelogo editing tool is used in such cases. Creating a specific logo usingthe logo editing tool is a process of creating text information,capturing a picture, photograph, or other image information,appropriately combining the text and image information to create thedesired logo, and matching it to the model-specific conditions of theprinter. The logo editing tool is described in detail further below.

To use existing image data as is, an image file 82 is created using adigital camera, scanner, or other general purpose image creation tool 81and used directly as the source logo data. It is not necessary to usethe logo editing tool 2 when thus using an existing image file 82 as is.Data thus created as the basis for logo creation is called the sourcedata 3 in this specification.

The color and size of the source data are adjusted according to theprintable colors, the print resolution, and the width of print paperused by in the target printer in which the logo data is registered. Thelogo data after adjusting the colors in the source data (by a colorreduction process, for example), size, and resolution, for example,(this data may be referred to as the logo, logo data, logo information,or print image data) is what is registered in the printer 60. Note thatthe printable colors are determined by such as the color of inkinstalled to the target printer, the thermal dye colors, or the colorsof the print materials of the print medium. For example, if the printerprints to white paper using colorless (black) and colored (ink) ink, theprintable colors are the black, red, and white colors that can beexpressed using the print materials. If the target printer is a thermalprinter for printing to thermal paper coated with plural colors ofthermal dye, the printable colors are the color of the thermal paperitself and the colors that can be produced with the thermal materials.Colors that can be achieved with the ink ribbon or toner installed inthe target printer are also printable colors. As further describedbelow, printable colors can also be the intermediate colors obtained bycombining the colors of the print materials.

If a printer 60 is connected, such logo data is sent as is to theprinter 60 and registered in logo memory 61 (nonvolatile storage) insidethe printer 60. If a printer 60 is not connected to the logo editingtool, a logo data registration file for registering the logo data (logoregistration file 5) is created. This logo data registration file is acommand-attached image file containing the logo data and a command dataset required to register the logo data. This enables the logo to beregistered as a result of the host device 50 reading the logo dataregistration file without installing a registration program in the hostdevice 50. The logo data registration file (logo registration file 5) isalso further described below.

When a logo is registered in the logo memory 61 of the printer, the logocan be printed using a print logo command.

If a printer not having a logo memory 61 is used, the logo data is savedto nonvolatile storage provided in the host device 50 so that the logodata can be read appropriately by an application program running on thehost device 50 and sent to the printer 60 for printing.

(Logo Editing Tool)

The logo editing tool is described next.

In order to register logo data in the printer the logo to be registeredmust first be defined. The logo editing tool is used when creating a newlogo for a particular logo printing purpose. When creating a new logo,an existing picture, photograph, or other image 80 is captured using thelogo editing tool 2 and combined with text data and/or other images togenerate source data 3, which is the basis for an effective logo mostsuitable to the advertising, announcement, or other objective andcomprises image data containing plural objects. Data for gray scaleprocessing is also generated. Logo data is created for a particularprinting purpose such as printing coupons, printing a corporate or storelogo, or product advertisement. The source data 3 is the data used asthe basis for printing, and the basic structure of the logo is definedby the logo editing tool 2. It should be noted that the logo editingtool 2 can be incorporated in the logo data generating apparatus 4.

Creating source data 3 with the logo editing tool 2 involves creatingthe text information, capturing the picture, photograph, or other imageinformation, and appropriately combining the text and image informationto create the data that will be the basis for creating the desired logo.Furthermore, the logo editing tool 2 can be configured so that text datacan be written to create the source data 3 without bringing in an image,or so that images can be drawn. It is also possible to read and re-editlogo data already stored to a logo registration file 5, logo data storedto a bitmap file 83, or source data 3 to create the logo.

The logo editing tool is described in further detail using FIG. 3. FIG.3 is a function block diagram of the logo editing tool 2.

The logo editing tool 2 is used to create the basic configuration of aneffective logo most appropriate to the advertising, announcement, orother printing purpose. The logo editing tool 2 can be used to createsource data that is the basis for a logo combining image data and textdata, and the created source data can be sent as the source data to thelogo data generating apparatus 4 (FIG. 2) or saved as a source data file3.

The logo editing tool 2 comprises an image data capturing means 31,image data storage 32, image data processor 33, text data editor 34,image drawing unit 35, data merging unit 36, source data output unit 37,edit input unit 38, and image data display unit 39.

The image data capturing means 31 reads the image data or text data toobtain the basic data stored to image data storage 32. Note that datafor plural images can be captured. The image data can be graphic datastored as an image file to magnetic disk, DC-ROM or other recordingmedium from which it is read and stored to image data storage 32, or animage can be captured from a digital camera or scanner, for example, andstored.

Data such as photographic images, animation-like graphic data, geometricshapes, styled text, and various graphic shapes can be read as thegraphic data. Image data storage 32 can store plural images separately.The image data capturing means 31 is also preferably compatible withdifferent software programs for manipulating graphics and image data sothat it can read different types of image files. Data for each of theread images can be stored to image data storage 32 as independentobjects or as image data.

The image data stored to the image data storage 32 is processed asnecessary by the image data processor 33 to, for example, adjust imagesize. Using the text data editor 34, it is also possible to create andedit text data based on input from the edit input unit 38 and not justimage data. It is also possible to specify a particular color for thetext data. By thus also enabling text data to be edited, it is alsopossible to include text data for the advertisement or announcement inthe logo. Yet further, graphics can be drawn directly in the logoediting tool 2 based on input from the edit input unit 38, whichcomprises a keyboard and mouse, for example, by also providing imagedrawing unit 35.

The captured image data, image-processed image data, drawings created inthe logo editing tool 2, and/or text data is then merged by the datamerging unit 36 to create the desired logo. The data merging unit 36combines multiple image data objects, graphics, and text data objects tocreate the desired source data. Elements in combining the images andtext include, for example, selecting the image or text, and specifyingthe size and location of each image and text object relative to theoverall logo. The source data merged by the data merging unit 36 ismerged as a combination of independent image and text data objects, andis output by the source data output unit 37.

It is therefore possible to read image data stored to the image datastorage 32 as independent image data objects that can be freely combinedor layered together. It is also possible to overlay objects created withthe text data editor 34 and/or image drawing unit 35 with objects storedto image data storage 32. The layered objects can be processedindependently by object in the image data processor 33 and data mergingunit 36. When objects overlap, it is also possible to control and changewhich object is displayed in front. It is also possible to change thesize of individual objects.

The image data display unit 39 can display read images, images stored toimage data storage 32, and output data from the image data processor 33,data merging unit 36, text data editor 34, and image drawing unit 35.

The source data output unit 37 can send the source data directly to thelogo data generating apparatus, or output it as a source logo data file.The data merging unit 36 merges the images and other objects combined inthe source data so that they can be image processed or manipulated asindependent images, for example. Furthermore, when the source data isoutput as a file, it is output as a metafile for other type of fileenabling each of the merged elements to be handled separately. It willbe further noted that the image data processor 33 and data merging unit36 are shown as separate function blocks in FIG. 3, but an imageprocessing function can be provided in the data merging unit 36 so thatimage size can be changed as appropriate when merging the logo elements.

In this case color reduction or other color process is not applied tothe image data captured by the logo editing tool 2, but if, for example,the source picture, photograph, or other image 80 is full color, thelogo editing tool 2 could be configured to store the source data 3 afterfirst reducing the image to a constant number of colors.

(Logo Data Generating Apparatus)

The source data 3 generated by the logo editing tool 2 is changed by thelogo data generating apparatus 4 to a format that can be registered in aparticular specific printer to obtain the final logo data.

Note that the source data obtained by the logo data generating apparatus4 is not limited to the source data 3 created by the logo editing toolbut also includes existing image file data 82 created with an imageprocessing program, and both types of data 3 and 82 are referred toherein as “source data”.

As noted above POS printers are mainly color printers for printing twoor three colors. Therefore, if the source data image is full-color orgraphic data containing multiple colors (brightness, saturation, andhue), the colors of the source image must be reduced to the printablecolors to enable printing on the POS printer. Even when the printer canprint only a few colors, printing is not limited to two simple colors assubtle colors can also be printed. For example, if the colors usable onthe printer are the two colors red and black and printing is to whitepaper, shades of black and red can be achieved in gradations bycombining plural unit dots to form each pixel unit. It is also possibleto express extremely subtle, detailed colors (expressions usingintermediate colors) by combining red, black, and white (color of thepaper). If the number of colors usable by the printer is three or more,even more complex, subtle printing is possible. To do this it isnecessary to specify the color or intermediate color used to representeach color in the source data (this operation is also referred to asspecifying color conversions or specifying the color assignments). Thelogo data generating apparatus 4 is used to select the color reductionmethod used to reduce source data colors and to specify the printablecolors, and thus define the color expression of the final logo.

It is also necessary to adjust the size of the print logo according tothe printing paper used because the width of the printing paper(receipt) is different on different printers. It is also necessary toadjust the size of the logo according to the print resolution becausethe size of the printed logo can differ according to the printresolution of the printer.

The logo data generating apparatus 4 is a device for adjusting the finalimage of the desired logo, determining the vertical and horizontal printresolution and the width of the paper used by the target printer storingthe logo data, and specifying conversion colors as desired from amongthe printable colors to complete a logo enabling logo printing by thetarget printer. The logo data generating apparatus 4 can also set theconnection port, transmission rate, parity check, flow control method,and other settings enabling communication with the target printer.

The logo data generating apparatus 4 reads and applies a conversionprocess (image adjustment process) matching a source data file 3 createdwith the logo editing tool or an existing image file 82 to the specificconditions (specifications) of the target printer to which the logo isto be registered, thus creating a logo for registration in nonvolatilestorage in the target printer (note that saving this logo to the printeris also referred to in this specification as “registering” the logo).The created logo data can also be output as a logo registration file ina specific format.

(Embodiment of a Logo Data Generating Apparatus)

An example of logo data generating apparatus 4 is described withreference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a function block diagram of a logo datagenerating apparatus according to this example.

This logo data generating apparatus 4 has a source data capture unit 10,source data image display 11, parameter data input means 12, dataadjustment processor 13, logo data image display 15, logo data outputmeans 16, and a main controller 14 for controlling the other parts.

The source data capture unit 10 gets the source data 3 or normal imagefile 82 from the logo editing tool 2 (FIG. 2) as controlled by the maincontroller 14. The source data is then stored in the source data captureunit 10. The source data capture unit 10 can read different types offiles using a file reader (not shown in the figure) or image capturingmeans (not shown in the figure), or can capture the source data. Whattypes of files can be read can be set appropriately. More specifically,the source data capture unit 10 can be a magnetic storage reader (suchas a floppy disk drive or hard disk drive), CD-ROM drive, CD-RW drive,DVD drive, scanner, or other type of reading device.

Once the source data is captured, the main controller 14 controls theparameter data input means 12 to accept input of the image processingparameters for adjusting the image. This enables the printer name, thecolors that can be printed on the printer, resolution, gradations, andother parameters to be input. The main controller 14 also controls thesource data image display 11 at the same time to display the source dataimage on screen.

This enables the user to input the required parameter settings whileviewing the source data image and studying which color reduction methodto use and which colors in the source image to convert to whichprintable colors.

After the parameters are set, the settings are sent to the dataadjustment processor 13 whereby the colors, resolution, size, and otheraspects of the source data 3 are processed according to the inputsettings. If the image stays the same size but is printed on a lowerresolution printer, the printed image will be larger. Therefore, if itis desirable to keep the size of the print image the same size as thesource data image, or if the print image will be wider than the paperwidth because the printer resolution is low, a process to, for example,reduce the size of the print image is needed. More specifically, thesize of the logo registered in the printer must be determined byadjusting the size of the source data according to both the width of theprinting paper and the printer resolution. The adjusted source data 3 isthen presented on the logo data image display 15 as the image afterthese changes are made. It is therefore possible to confirm what theprint image resulting from the set parameters will be like. The imageadjustment parameters can also be changed while looking at the processedimage. If no parameter changes are required and the settings areconfirmed, the processed logo data is sent by the main controller 14 tothe logo data output means 16.

The logo data output means 16 stores the logo data or outputs the logodata as a logo registration file in a special registration format ascontrolled by the main controller 14, or sends and registers the logodata in the printer. The logo data output means 16 can also output thelogo data adjusted to the target printer specifications as describedabove as a single monochrome or color bitmap image file. Files thusproduced can be stored in the logo editing tool or to an external datastorage medium (such as a magnetic storage medium; not shown in thefigure).

Note that specifying the color assignments and image processingparameters is described more specifically below using flow charts andsample display screens.

(Data Adjustment Processor of the Logo Data Generating Apparatus)

FIG. 25 is a detailed function block diagram of the data adjustmentprocessor 13 in a logo data generating apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 25, the data adjustment processor 13 includes atemporary source data buffer 6, image processing means 7, objectread/write controller 8, and logo data storage 9. Reference letter A inFIG. 25 represents an image of source data 3, and b1, b2, b3 representthe objects in the source data. Reference letter A′ represents the image(logo) after image processing by the data adjustment processor 13, andb1′, b2′, b3′ represent the objects in the processed image A′.

The data adjustment processor is described below with particularreference to processing the objects in the source data.

Based on the file selection input from parameter data input means 12,main controller 14 controls reading source data A by source data captureunit 10 from the indicated file. Captured source data A is then storedin the source data capture unit 10.

Once source data A is captured, the main controller 14 also storessource data A to temporary source data buffer 6, and controls dataadjustment processor 13 and parameter data input means 12 so that inputof the parameter settings for image adjustment can be accepted.Parameter settings for selecting the target printer, selecting theprintable colors of the selected printer, setting the print resolution,and setting the color reduction method can thus be input. The maincontroller 14 also controls the source data image display 11 to displayan image of source data A on screen. Source data A is passed through theimage processing means 7 and stored to logo data storage 9. If the imageprocessing parameters are set at this time, the source data A is firstprocessed accordingly and then stored to logo data storage 9. If noparameters are set, source data A is processed using the printablecolors, print resolution, color reduction method, and other parametersinitially set in the parameter data input means 12, and then stored tothe logo data storage 9. The logo data stored to the logo data storage 9is also displayed on the display screen 20 by the logo data imagedisplay 15.

It is thus possible to input specific parameters, such as what colorreduction method to use for color reduction, and what colors in thesource data A to convert to what printable colors, while viewing animage of the source data A.

When an object is selected using the parameter data input means 12, maincontroller 14 controls object read/write controller 8 to read and sendthe selected object from temporary source data buffer 6 to imageprocessing means 7. The image processing means 7 then processes theimage according to the input parameters, and stores it to logo datastorage 9. The data stored to logo data storage 9 is also displayed bylogo data image display 15.

This process is further described using FIG. 26 with reference to a casein which object b3 is selected. FIGS. 26( a) and (b) show sampledisplays presented on display screen 20. FIG. 26( a) shows theconfiguration of source data A. In this example source data A consistsof a square b1, triangle b2, and circle b3 arranged as shown in FIG. 26(a). When the user points to and clicks on circle b3 with a mouse, forexample, to edit circle b3, object read/write controller 8 shown in FIG.1 reads and sends object b3 from temporary logo data buffer 6 to imageprocessing means 7. This enables circle object b3 to be image processed.The display also changes at this time as shown in FIG. 26( b) so thatcircle object b3 is in front. To then edit the triangle, the user simplyclicks on the triangle object.

In this example the object to be edited is brought to the front forprocessing, but it is also possible to display only the selected object.It could also be configured to enable specifying batch processing forall objects so that all objects are batch processed.

The process after the parameters are set by the parameter data inputmeans 12 is described below. Note that this next process applies both toprocessing only selected objects and to image processing all of thesource data 3 (FIG. 2). It could also be configured to simultaneouslyselect plural objects and process all selected objects at the same time.

(Embodiment of the Gray Scale Processing Unit)

The image processing part of the logo data generating apparatus 4 isdescribed next with reference to FIG. 27. FIG. 27 is a function blockdiagram of a preferred embodiment of a gray scale processing unit usedin the logo data generating apparatus 4. Note that the gray scaleprocessor 41 shown in FIG. 27 shows only the basic parts of the grayscale process.

Based on a control signal from a controller not shown in the figure,image data storage 46 reads and stores the source data image or objectsof the source data image. After the source data is stored, a controlsignal causes the gradation processor 47 to convert the image data togray scale data. This gray scale conversion process converts colorgraphic data to monochrome graphic data with no color information,similar to a black and white photograph. Color graphics usually containhue, saturation, and brightness data, but gray scale data only containsbrightness information. In other words, color images are expressed withbrightness difference (gradation) information only. The brightness ofone pixel in 24-bit full-color image data, for example, can be expressedconverted to a 256-level gray scale value using one byte (objectread/write controller 8 bits) per pixel. The resulting gray scale datais then stored in gray scale image memory 48.

If the color assignments are have been input when the source data isconverted to gray scale data, the color assignment processor 49 assignsthe specified colors. That is, the gray scale data is related to theassigned colors. If there is no color assignment, a default color, suchas black, or the color assignments used in the most recent process, areused.

The gray scale processor 41 shown in FIG. 27 can exist as a part of theimage processing means 7 shown in FIG. 25. Alternatively, thefunctionality of image data storage 46 shown in FIG. 27 can be providedin the temporary source data buffer 6 in FIG. 25, and the image datastorage 46 in FIG. 27 omitted.

(Basic Concept of the Reduced Image Display

FIG. 28 shows an example of a reduced image display in second and thirdembodiments of the logo data generating apparatus further describedbelow.

The process for presenting a reduced display after color reductionprocessing applies to image processes indicated at steps (1) and (2) inFIG. 28.

Image process 56 such as color reduction is applied to the source data 3of the multicolored image A to be processed according to the inputsettings from input means 59. The processed image A′ can be printed onthe printer, stored as a logo in the printer, or output to a file.

This source data 3 image process 56 preferably displays image a of thesource data 3 when inputting the settings determining how to process theimage, and to confirm the settings preferably also displays the image a′after image processing using the color assignment settings. Yet furtherpreferably, both images a and a′ are reduced and displayed together ondisplay screen 20 so that the two images can be compared at the sametime on the same screen.

If the image reduction process 57 is applied after the color reductionprocess 56 according to an actual data process operation (that is,source data A is displayed reduced as image a by steps 3 and 4, andimage a′ of processed data A′ from steps 1, 7, and 8 is displayed on thesame screen), a dither pattern, for example, results depending on theamount of reduction, and the processed image cannot be correctlydisplayed.

A procedure for displaying image a of source data 3 before the colorreduction process is accomplished by steps 3 and 4, but the followingmethod is preferably used as the procedure for displaying image a′ afterimage processing. That is, reduction process 57 is first applied tosource data 3 through steps 3, 5, and 6, the same image processaccomplished by steps 1 and 2 is then applied to the reduced data, andthe result is preferably displayed as reduced image a′ of the data A′after processing source data 3. Because the image reduction process 57is run before the color reduction process 56, the same color isprevented from being sampled into a pattern by the data sampling step ofthe image reduction process 57.

The reduced image thus obtained is not really a reduced preview of theprocessed image. However, the image presented by this process presents asharper, clearer image of the processed data than does an actual reducedimage obtained by reducing the actual image after color reduction. Thepurpose of a preview is to easily confirm an image when viewing theactual image is difficult or time-consuming. It is therefore importantto accurately and clearly represent the actual image, and the processwhereby the preview image is created is not important. It is thereforepreferable as described above to first reduce the image for a previewdisplay and then apply color reduction in order to achieve a sharperpreview image.

(Second Embodiment of a Logo Data Generating Apparatus)

A second embodiment of a logo data generating apparatus is describednext with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a function block diagram of alogo data generating apparatus 4-2 according to this second embodiment.

This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in having an imagereducing means 17 and displaying a reduced image a of the source dataafter the image reduction process and the logo data image a′ after imageprocessing. This enables even more efficient image processing because animage a of the source data and an image a′ of the logo after changes aremade can be simultaneously displayed on display screen 20.

(Third Embodiment of a Logo Data Generating Apparatus)

FIG. 5 is a function block diagram of logo data generating apparatus4-3. This embodiment differs from the second embodiment 4-2 in that whendisplaying a reduced image a of the logo data or a logo data object thesource data A is first sent to the image reducing means 17 and reducedto produce reduced image a, and the color data is then reduced by thedata adjustment processor 13 to produce and display reduced image a′. Byconfiguring the system to first reduce the image and then apply colorreduction, the dithering noise and striping that appear when the imageis reduced after color reduction can be prevented, and a preview evencloser to the actual printed image can be displayed.

(Creating a Logo Registration File with the Logo Data Output Means)

As described above, the logo data output means 16 shown in FIG. 1, FIG.4, FIG. 5, and FIG. 25 can store directly to a printer or create abitmap logo data file, and can also create a logo registration file 5(FIG. 2) containing embedded commands for logo registration. This logoregistration file 5 is an image file with embedded commands, combiningboth the logo data and the command data set needed to store the logodata. When the POS terminal host reads this logo registration file 5,the logo data can be stored directly from the logo registration file 5without installing a special program on the host. The host completeslogo registration by sending the logo registration command in the readlogo registration file 5 to the printer.

FIG. 6 is a function block diagram of the logo registration file outputmeans 18 in a preferred embodiment of the logo data output means 16 forgenerating this logo registration file 5. Note that FIG. 6 shows onlythe major components, and those parts not particularly important to logofile creation are omitted.

The logo registration file output means 18 has a command data setgenerator 19, logo registration file generator 20, and communicationinterface 21. The logo registration file output means 18 receives andstores the logo data from the data adjustment processor 13. The commanddata set generator 19 creates the set of commands needed to store thelogo output from data adjustment processor 13 in the printer. Thecommand data set generator 19 has a registration command set generator22 and data transmission command set generator 23. The registrationcommand set contains executable commands sent to the printer for storingthe received logo data in the target printer.

The data transmission command set generator 23 has a parameter inputcommand set generator 24 for creating an executable command set foraccepting input of communication parameters such as the communicationport, a port detection command set generator 25 for producing anexecutable command set for detecting the communication port to which thetarget printer is connected, and a transmission command set generator 26for producing a set of commands for sending the registration command setand logo data to the target printer.

The logo registration file generator 20 (called the file generator 20below) combines the logo data (print image data), registration commandset, and data transmission command set to produce logo registration file5 (FIG. 2). This logo registration file is preferably a single file, butcan be a linked set of files. Whether the transmission command set isgenerated, whether the parameter input command set is generated, andwhether the port detection command set is generated can be specifiedusing a controller not shown in the figure.

The logo registration file output by the logo registration filegenerator 20 can be sent to the host of a POS terminal to which thetarget printer is connected if the host is connected to thecommunication interface 21 via a communication line. The logoregistration file can also be stored from the logo registration filegenerator 20 to internal memory or non-volatile (NV) memory (not shownin the figure), or can be output through an input/output interface (notshown in the figure) to floppy disk, hard disk, memory card, or otherexternal storage device (not shown in the figure). By then causing thePOS terminal host to read the logo registration file stored to floppydisk or other medium or the logo registration file sent thereto via thecommunication link, the host reads the command sets stored in the logoregistration file and can store the logo data to the printer withoutinstalling a separate special logo registration program in the host.

The logo editing tool 2 and logo data generating apparatus 4 aredescribed as separately configured above, but the logo editing tool 2can be incorporated in the logo data generating apparatus 4, creating alogo data generating apparatus having a logo editing function.

It will be obvious to one with ordinary skill in the related art thatthe logo editing tool and logo data generating apparatus described abovecan be achieved using a microprocessor (CPU), ROM and RAM connected viaa bus to the CPU), and an operating system (OS) and other appropriatecontrol programs stored to the ROM and RAM. The CPU, ROM, and RAM, andthe control programs stored in the ROM and RAM cooperate to function asthe various function blocks. The various parts of the logo editing tool2 and logo data generating apparatus 4 are thus achieved by integrallylinking the various input devices, control programs, CPU, and storagedevices.

(Logo Editing Process)

The logo editing process is described next with reference to FIG. 7 toFIG. 13. FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a preferred embodiment of the logoediting method for generating logo data, and FIGS. 8 to 13 show examplesof screens presented for inputting data as part of this logo editingprocess.

This embodiment is described first with reference to FIG. 7.

The first step when the logo editing tool 2 starts is to select whetherto create a new logo source data file, or edit a source data filepreviously created with the logo editing tool 2. If a new logo iscreated a screen such as shown in FIG. 10 for setting the logo size isdisplayed. Once the logo size is set, an editing screen is displayedaccording to the set size.

Whether to read the image data from which the source data is generatedis then determined (S101). The image data is typically read from a file,but could be a source data file 3 previously generated by the logoediting tool 2, or some other existing image file. If a file is to beread (S101 returns yes), the read file is selected and read, and thenstored in logo editing tool 2 (S102). If reading a file is not necessary(S101 returns no), the procedure advances to step S103. This imagereading step can be skipped when editing an existing source data file 3or if a logo is created using only text, for example.

Whether drawing or text input is necessary is then determined (S103). Ifit is (S103 returns yes), the input routine is run (S104). If not (S103returns no), the procedure advances to step S105. In step S105 the sizeof the read image data or text data is changed, or multiple images ortext objects are combined according to user input. If input is notcompleted (S106 returns no), steps S101 to S106 repeat on the editingscreen until input for all drawing, text, and merging operations iscompleted. When input is completed (S106 returns yes), the result isstored internally as source data or output as a source data file (S107).

The logo editing process is further described below using examples ofthe display screens presented during the logo editing process as shownin FIG. 8 to FIG. 13. Note that the process described below using thesesample display screens is substantially the same in content and resultas the process described with reference to the flow chart in FIG. 7, butnot does not correspond 1:1 to the FIG. 7 flow chart.

When the logo editing tool 2 or logo data generating apparatus 4 startsup, a main screen 100 common to both logo generation and editing andshown in FIG. 8 is presented. When the new logo button 110 in mainscreen 100 in FIG. 8 is clicked, the main editing screen 120 of the logoediting tool is presented as shown in FIG. 9. This main editing screen120 includes file 121, edit 122, display 123, and tools 124 buttons inthe top toolbar, and a logo editing area 127 in the middle.

Clicking the file button 121 of the main editing screen 120 presents,for example, a pulldown menu (not shown in the figure) with selectionssuch as new, open, close, save, save as, logo size, and quit. The “new”item is used to create new logo data, and selecting it presents a dialogbox 130 such as shown in FIG. 10 for specifying the size of the logo(source data). The dialog box 130 is used to define the size of the logofor which new logo data is to be created.

The “open” item (not shown in the figure) is used to open an existingfile. Selecting “open” presents a file selection dialog box (not shownin the figure) from which a source data file previously created with thelogo editing tool, for example, can be selected for use. The “close”item (not shown in the figure) closes the source data file being edited;if a change was made to the source data file, a prompt asking whether tosave the changes is presented. The “save” item is selected to save thesource data file being edited by overwriting the previous file. If“save” is selected when creating a new source data file, a dialog boxasking the user to specify a name is presented. The “save as” item (alsonot shown) is used to save the source data file being edited under adifferent name. The “logo size” item (not shown in the figure) is forchanging the logo size of the source data being edited, and selecting itpresents the same dialog box as shown in FIG. 10 for changing the logosize of the source data. Selecting “quit” quits the logo editing tool.If a file with unsaved changes is open when quit is selected, a dialogbox is presented asking whether to save the changes.

When the edit button 122 is selected from the main editing screen 120 inFIG. 9, a dialog box with selections such as undo (for reversing theprevious operation), cut, copy, paste, and select all (none of which areshown in the figure) is presented. These functions are the same as incommonly available word processors and other programs.

Selecting the “paste” item pastes an object on the clipboard into thelogo (source data) being edited. The types of objects that can be pastedinclude text, dib format, bmp format, JPEG format, and other commondrawing or graphic object types, source data files created with the logoediting tool 2, logo data files created with the logo data generatingapparatus 4, and any other type of graphic object that can be recognizedby the editing tool. If the object on the clipboard is a bitmap object,it is treated as an image object.

Selecting “select all” selects all objects in the source data beingedited. Cut, copy, move, delete, and other operations can then beapplied to the selected objects.

Selecting the display button 123 from the main editing screen 120 inFIG. 9 presents a dialog box containing items such as “zoom in” forenlarging the display, “zoom out” for reducing the display, “show grid,”“align to grid” for selecting whether to automatically place objects onthe grid, and “define grid” for setting the X-Y grid units and alignment(none of these selections is shown in the figures).

When the tools button 124 is selected from the main editing screen 120in FIG. 9, a dialog box (not shown in the figure) with such items asinsert, text properties, image properties, input coordinates, bring tofront, and send to back is presented (none of these items is shown inthe figures).

When “insert” is selected a submenu with “text” and “image” items ispresented (not shown in the figure). Selecting “text” enables the userto insert a text object of a specific size and position determined byclicking and dragging in the logo editing area 127. Selecting “image”similarly enables the user to insert an image object of a specific sizeand position determined by clicking and dragging in the logo editingarea 127. When an image object is inserted, an image properties dialogbox is presented for the user to select the image file to insert.

If “text properties” (not shown in the figure) is selected a text objectproperties dialog box 140 such as shown in FIG. 11 is presented. Thefont selection box 141 enables selecting from a list of WIFE fonts orTrueType fonts, for example. The supported styles of the selected fontcan then be selected from a list using the style selection box 142, anda supported text size can be selected from a list using the size box.Other text attributes such as underlining, color, and text objectrotation can also be selected.

When “image properties” is selected an image object properties dialogbox 150 such as shown in FIG. 12 is presented. When the file name of theimage file to read is input to the file name box 151, the image file isread and displayed in the preview area 152. It is also possible toprovide a reference button (not shown in the figure) so that files canbe referenced for selection. Selecting the “fit to page” checkbox 153changes the size of the image data to the width of the selected paper.This function automatically adjusts the image size to the width of thepaper when the paper used by the printer has been defined. The imageobject can be set to “opaque” or “transparent” from the drawing mode 154box. “Opaque” causes the object to print in front regardless of anybackground objects. “Transparent” draws objects using the result of alogical OR between the background and foreground objects.

When “input coordinates” (not shown in the figure) is selected, a dialogbox 160 such as shown in FIG. 13 is presented. This dialog box enablesspecifying the X-Y coordinates of the top left corner of the selectedobject.

Selecting the “bring to front” item displays the selected object infront of all other objects, and selecting “send to back” displays theselected object in the background behind all other objects.

It will be obvious that a window menu containing selections such asstack, panes, arrange icons, and version information could also beprovided.

(Generating Logo Data)

A process for generating logo data is described with reference to FIG.14. FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing a logo data generating methodaccording to this embodiment of the invention.

The first step is to read and store for processing a source data objectfrom a source data file 3 prepared with the logo editing tool 2 or imagefile 82 as described above (S201). An image of the stored source data isthen displayed on screen (such as display area 225 in FIG. 15) (S202).The objects in the source data can also be image processed according tothe initial image processing settings and displayed simultaneously onscreen (such as in display area 226 in FIG. 15).

Whether a particular object in the source data has been selected forimage processing is then determined (S203). If no object has beenselected (S203 returns no), the procedure advances to processing stepS208. If an object has been selected (S203 returns yes), the selectedobject is read and input screens for setting the image processingparameters for the selected object are presented (such as areas 228 and229 in FIG. 15 and the screens shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17) (S204).Input of image processing parameters is then detected (S205), and ifimage processing parameters were not input (S205 returns no), theprocedure advances to the processing step (S208) while displaying theimage as processed using the initial settings. If processing parameterswere input (S205 returns yes), the selected object is processed usingthose parameters (S206) and the processed image is then displayed(S207). Note that the processed image continues to be displayed untilthere is a change in parameter data input (S205), and when there is achange in parameter input (S205), the image is redisplayed based on theinput parameters. By thus displaying an image of the source data, theuser can set parameters for the next processes, including colorassignments and color reduction method, while referring to the colors,pattern, and overall impression of the source data image.

Whether to output the logo data is then confirmed (S208). The dataresulting from image processing is output (S210) if logo output isselected (S208 returns yes). If the logo is not output (S208 returnsno), whether the settings are completed is determined (S209). If theuser has finished adjusting the image processing parameters (S209returns yes), the logo generation process ends. If the user has notfinished setting the parameters (S209 returns no), the procedure loopsback to S203 and the same process repeats.

Logo output and whether parameter adjustment is completed are determinedfrom data input to the parameter data input means. Logo data output isfurther described below.

(Alternative Logo Data Generating Process)

The logo data generating procedure in the reduced image display processis described next with reference to FIG. 29. FIG. 29 is a flow chart ofa preferred embodiment of a logo data generating method according to thepresent invention. The images resulting from and related to the varioussteps in the flow chart in FIG. 29 are shown to the right where A is thesource data image, A′ is the image after image processing, a is thereduced view of image A, and a′ is the reduced preview image of logo A′.

Logo generation is described according to the flow chart.

The first step is to read and store the source data objects forprocessing from an existing image file or source data file created withthe above-described logo editing tool 2 (S401). Stored source data imageA is then reduced to create reduced image a (S402). The reduced image ais then displayed on screen 20 (FIG. 6) (S403). The user can thus setthe parameters for the next processes, that is, defining the colorassignment and color reduction method, while referring to the colors,pattern, and overall impression of the source data image. If confirmingthe source data image is not necessary, this step (S402) can be skippedand the procedure can advance directly to the next step (S403) withoutdisplaying reduced image a.

The image processing parameters are then input (S404). Parametersspecific to the printer model, assigning the colors achieving the bestprint results according to the specific functions of the printer, andother such parameters can be input at this step. Once the parameters areset the source data image A is processed according to the definedparameters to create logo A′(S405). The reduced image a is alsoprocessed according to the same image processing parameters, creatingpreview image a′ of the logo A′(S406). It will be noted that becausecolor reduction and other image processing steps are applied after imagereduction, preview image a′ does not have the dither noise or stripingthat otherwise occurs. At this point both reduced image a of the sourcedata and reduced preview a′ of the image A′ after image processing aredisplayed. The user can therefore compare the images before and afterimage processing, and easily adjust the image processing parameters atthe time the logo data is generated in order to achieve the best logo.

Whether the settings are finalized is then confirmed (S407). If input isnot completed (S407 returns no), steps S404 to S407 repeat. The user canthus continue to adjust the image processing parameters while confirmingwhat the processed image a′ will look like in order to achieve the bestlogo. When the parameters are finalized (S407 returns yes), the logodata is output (S408).

It should be noted that while the image reduction process (S402) isprovided immediately after the source data is read in FIG. 29, the imagereduction step can be provided after the image processing step (S405) ifa reduced view of the source data is not displayed.

The logo data generating process of this invention is further describedbelow using the sample display screens of this logo generating processas shown in FIG. 8, FIG. 15 to FIG. 19, FIG. 30 and FIG. 31. Note thatthe process described below using these sample display screens issubstantially the same in content and result as the process describedwith reference to the flow chart in FIG. 14, but not does not correspond1:1 to the FIG. 14 flow chart.

With the logo data generating apparatus of this example a main screen210 identical to the main screen 100 shown in FIG. 8 by the logo editingtool 2 is displayed first. This main screen 210 has a printer data inputbox 220 used to input the paper width, printable colors, printresolution, and other parameters specific to the printer model. Acommunication parameters input box 221 enables the user to specify theport, transmission speed, and other communication parameters. Theseprinter parameters and communication parameters are preferably setautomatically as much as possible by simply specifying the name of theprinter in the printer data input box 220. This can be enabled bystoring this model-specific data inside the printer so that when themodel name is specified the specific parameters are read from theprinter and set automatically.

The source data used to create a logo can be read from a desired file byinputting a file name to the source file input box 223. The referencebutton 224 can also be clicked to reference a selection of availablefiles in a pulldown menu (not shown in the figure). An image of thesource data is displayed in the first display area 225 and an image ofthe source data after it is processed according to the defined imageprocessing parameters is displayed in a second display area 226. Themost commonly used files will be source data files created by the logoediting tool 2, but providing the ability to read as many different filetypes as possible will make it possible to use images from a wider rangeof sources as the logo source data.

Reading the source image, parameter setting, and image processing aredescribed next. FIG. 15 shows the logo editor screen 210 after a filehas been read from the main screen 100 (FIG. 8) and certain parametershave been set. FIG. 15 shows reduced views of the source data image andthe source data image after image processing, but it will be obviousthat these images could alternatively be displayed without beingreduced.

When the file name is input to the source file input box 223 of the mainscreen 100 (FIG. 8), the content of the specified file is read as thesource data and stored to a particular address in memory. The storedsource data is then reduced to display a reduced image a of the sourcedata as shown in first display area 225 (FIG. 15) provided in the mainscreen 210.

The name, paper width, printable colors, resolution, and otherparameters specific to the target printer can be input from the printerdata input box 220, and communication port, transmission rate, bitlength, and other model-specific data related to communicating with theprinter can be input from the communication parameters input box 221. Itis also possible to read model-specific data for the indicated printerfrom a model-specific data buffer (not shown in the figure) so that themodel-specific data is set automatically when the printer name is inputor specified. If the target printer is connected, it is further possibleto automatically read a model ID from the printer to set thecorresponding model-specific data automatically. The color reductionmethod, color assignments for color conversion to printable colors, andother parameters can also be input using the properties input box 222.When the target printer is selected from the printer data input box 220,the colors used for the color conversion selected from the propertiesinput box 222 can be selected from the printable colors specific to thatprinter (black is selected as the first color and red as the secondcolor in the color selection menus shown in FIG. 15). Selection ofcolors other than the printable colors from the properties input box 222can be prohibited by not displaying colors other than the printablecolors specific to the selected printer in the color selection menu ofthe printer data input box 220.

Reduced image a′ of the data image processed according to themodel-specific data and defined properties is displayed in seconddisplay area 226. Until these settings are defined the data is processedusing existing settings or preset values, and the processed image isthen displayed in the second display area 226 of the main screen 210. Ifa two-color printer is used, for example, a preview of the print image(logo) using the shades that can be achieved with three colors, that is,the two printable colors and white (a non-printing color: the color ofthe paper), is displayed. If the print resolution of the printer is low,the image is also displayed as a low resolution image.

It should be noted that a reduced preview of the processed image isdisplayed in the second display area 226 in this embodiment, but thefull-size button 231 can be clicked to display the print image at thesame size as the actual print image (not shown in the figure).

Defining the image data and text data properties is described next withreference to FIG. 15 to FIG. 18. The properties defined with referenceto these sample screens are the properties used for image processingsource data 3 created with the logo editing tool 2. As described above,source data created with the logo editing tool 2 can contain multipleimage data and/or text data objects. The first step is thereforeselecting the object to edit using the object selection box 227 in theproperties input box 222 of FIG. 15. If image 1 is selected, image 1 isprocessed according to the parameters determined with the halftonedefinition box 228 and gray scale control box 229, and an image of thecomplete logo containing the processed image 1 is displayed in seconddisplay area 226. Individual image or text objects can be selected andprocessed by selecting the specific object from the list of all objectscombined in the logo from the object selection box 227 in the propertiesinput box 222.

The color reduction slider 237 in the halftone definition box 228 slidesleft to right to specify the color reduction method in varying stagesfrom coarse to fine. For example, three levels from coarse to fine, thatis, simple color reduction, dithering, error diffusion, could be used. Abrightness slider 236 can also be moved sideways to set the imagebrightness on a sliding scale. Image brightness could be selected fromfive levels, for example.

When the gray scale control box 229 is on, the image can be reduced to amonochrome gray scale image; when off, the source data is reduced to allprintable colors (two in this example). When reduced to a gray scaleimage, the monochrome color can be specified from the color input box238, or selected from a pulldown menu.

If text object 2 is selected from the object selection box 227 of theproperties input box 222, for example, the properties input box 222shown in FIG. 15 changes to a text object properties definition box 240as shown in FIG. 16. The user can then enter the desired text from thetext input box 241, and specify the color of the text in the text colorbox 242 using a pulldown menu, for example.

An example of image processing individual objects is described next withreference to FIG. 30. Clicking on the menu icon of the object selectionbox 227 in the properties input box 222 causes a pulldown menu 245 toappear. The object to process, image 1 or image 2 in this example, canthen be selected from the pulldown menu 245. An image of the object isdisplayed after the desired object is selected. Color reduction andbrightness are controlled from the halftone definition box 228, and grayscale options are controlled, as described above. It is thereforepossible to separately define how each object is processed. For example,image 1 could be processed using dithering for color reduction and nogray scale processing, while simple color reduction and gray scaleconversion could be applied to image 2.

The gray scale conversion process is further described with reference toFIG. 31. Pulldown menu 245 drops down when the menu icon beside theinput box 238 in the gray scale control box 229 of the properties inputbox 222 is clicked. The user can select the desired color from thepulldown menu 245 (black in this example). When the desired color isselected, the image is converted and displayed in the second displayarea 226.

An example of a screen enabling a variety of color assignments isdescribed next with reference to FIG. 17. FIG. 17( a) shows a screenenabling settings for converting eight colors to 15 printable colorsafter reducing the source data to eight colors, and (b) shows a samplescreen enabling settings for converting each color in source datareduced to eight colors to any of three printable colors. A colorreduction method selected using the color reduction slider 237 of theabove-described halftone definition box 228, or a preset color reductionmethod, is used as the method for reducing full-color data, for example,to eight colors.

The example shown in FIG. 17( a) applies to a printer with two printablecolors. In this example the first color is black and the second is red.The eight colors of black, blue, red, magenta, green, cyan, yellow, andwhite are assigned to one of 15 colors by setting the color assignmentsliders 251 in the assignment area 250 to a position from0->1->2->0->12. An image of the source data is displayed at the top, andthe image after color assignment is displayed at the bottom, on theright side in FIG. 15.

To describe how fifteen colors are assigned with the color assignmentsliders 251 in FIG. 17, how a printer with two printable colors canprint fifteen colors, and how the color assignment slider 251 specifiesfifteen colors, are described referring to FIG. 18.

If there is a total of three colors, that is, two colors of ink andwhite, the non-printing color of the paper, and each pixel is a 2×2matrix of four dots per pixel, each pixel can express fifteen colors byappropriately assigning a color to each of the four dots in one pixel.The relationship between these fifteen colors and the color assignmentslider 251 shown in FIG. 15 is shown in FIG. 18. In FIG. 18 a black dot(•) represents black, a circle (∘) represents red, and a blankrepresents a white dot, and the values (x,y,z) indicate the number of(white, black, red) dots in each matrix (pixel). In other words, theshade of each unit pixel is determined by the ratio of color dots in thefour dots constituting each pixel.

Area a (0->1) in FIG. 18 shows matrixes containing combinations of whiteand black dots and shows the range (direction) from a matrix with fourwhite dots (0) to a matrix with four black dots (1). Area b (1->2) showsmatrixes containing combinations of black and red dots, and shows therange (direction) of change from four black dots to four red dots (2).Area c (2->0) shows matrixes containing combinations of red and whitedots, and shows the range (direction) of change from four red dots tofour white dots. Area d (0->12) shows the matrixes variously combiningwhite, red, and black dots, and shows the range (direction) from fourwhite to four black dots.

The relationship between the color assignment determined by the positionof the color assignment slider 251 in FIG. 17 and FIG. 18 and areas a,b, and c will be understood from the figures. That is, the pixel changesgradually from white to black as the color assignment slider 251 movesfrom 0->1, from black to red as the slider moves from 1->2, from red towhite as the slider moves from 2->0, and from white to a mixture ofwhite, red, and black as the slider moves from 0->12.

When, for example, black is selected as the first color and a specificchromatic color other than black is selected as the second color (red inthe figure) using the color selection menu in the printer data input box220 using the screen shown in FIG. 17( a), a process for convertingchromatic color parts (blue, red, magenta, green, cyan, yellow) of thesource data to intermediate colors (any of areas b, c, d in FIG. 18)containing the second color (red), and achromatic parts (black) of thesource data to the first color (black) or intermediate colors formedwith the first color (area a in FIG. 18), is possible.

A screen for converting eight-color source data to three colors isdescribed next with reference to FIG. 17( b). In (b) black, blue, red,magenta, green, cyan, yellow, and white in the source data reduced toeight colors are assigned to white, the first color (black), or thesecond color (red). The source data and an image resulting from thecolor assignments are also both displayed on this screen.

Furthermore, when, for example, black is selected as the first color anda specific chromatic color other than black is selected as the secondcolor (red in the figure) using the color selection menu in the printerdata input box 220 using the screen shown in FIG. 17( b), settings canbe made to convert achromatic parts (black) of the source data to thefirst color, and chromatic color parts (blue, red, magenta, green, cyan,yellow) of the source data to the second color.

By thus enabling the user to freely select any of the colors that can beprinted by the printer so that the color-reduced data of the source dataimage can be converted to the selected colors, expressive printingresults (logo) can be achieved even with images that would be visuallydispleasing as a result of important color boundaries being converted tothe same color with a constant, fixed color conversion process becausethe color assignments can be easily changed. Furthermore, by usingdithering and dot gradation to increase the number of convertible colorsand enabling the user to assign the printable colors as desired, logoexpressiveness can be improved even with printers having little colorcapability (such as two color printers).

While the source data that can be selected for color processing asdetermined by the properties input box 222 is limited in the abovedescription to source data files created by the logo editing tool 2, itis also possible to design the object selection box 227 so that otherexisting image files can be selected as the source data so that sourcedata from existing image files can be selected for color processing inthe same way.

The main logo data generating screen 21 shown in FIG. 15 also thefollowing buttons: edit 230, print test 232, file output 233, printerregistration 234, non-volatile memory management 235, and quit 246.

The edit button 230 starts the logo editing tool, and is used to re-edita logo data file. When editing with the logo editing tool is finished,the logo data generating apparatus reads the content of the file beingused (the edited content), and creates a logo reflecting the changesmade. It is also possible to restrict editing with the edit button 230to when the source data file of a logo being created is a file createdwith the logo editing tool 2.

The print test button 232 is used to actually print the created logodata on the connected target printer. The logo data is not registered inthe printer at this time.

The non-volatile memory management button 235 enables printing ordeleting NV graphics (NV: non-volatile) stored in the target printer.Pressing the non-volatile memory management button 235 displays anon-volatile memory management dialog box 260 such as shown in FIG. 19.Pressing the get key codes button 261 reads the key codes of the NVgraphics stored to the connected printer and displays them as a list inthe NV graphics key code list area 262.

Clicking the select all button 263 selects all of the key codesdisplayed in the NV graphics key code list area 262. The selected keycodes can be printed or deleted. Printing and deleting the selected keycodes is selected using the print button 264 and delete button 265 atthe bottom of the dialog box 260. The cancel button 267 deselects thekey codes selected in the key code list. The NV graphics correspondingto the listed key codes are stored in the logo data generatingapparatus. Pressing the print button 264 reads and prints the graphicscorresponding to the selected key codes. The key code can be printed inthe header of the NV graphic.

The delete button 265 deletes the graphics corresponding to the selectedkey codes from internal memory. An alert is displayed before the file isdeleted so that the user can confirm the deletion. Clicking the closebutton 266 closes the NV management dialog box 260 and returns to themain screen 210.

(Creating the Logo Registration File)

The process for creating the logo registration file is described infurther detail below with reference to a flow chart. FIG. 20 is a flowchart of the general process for creating the logo registration file 5after the logo data is created.

The logo data (logo) is first created according to the proceduredescribed with reference to FIG. 7 and FIG. 14 by the data adjustmentprocessor 13 (shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 25) (S310). Afterthe logo data is completed, a command data set is generated (S330), andthe logo data and command set are combined to produce the logoregistration file 5 (FIG. 2) (S340). The resulting logo registrationfile 5 is then stored to floppy disk and/or sent to the target printerhost (S350).

FIG. 21 is a flow chart showing the step (S330) shown in FIG. 20 forcreating the command data set in detail.

After the logo data is completed (FIG. 20, S310), a registration commandset run by the printer to register the logo data in the printer isgenerated (S331). The registration command set is a set of commands runby the target printer to store the logo data in non-volatile memoryinside the printer.

After the registration command data set is completed (S331), whether thedata transmission command set is to be added to the executable commandset is determined (S332). The system can be configured so that addingthe data transmission command set is optional according to the logoregistration file type.

If the data transmission command set is not added (S332 returns no), theprocedure advances to the logo registration file generating step S340.If the data transmission command set is to be added (S332 returns yes),the data transmission command set is created (S333). The datatransmission command set is a set of commands for sending the logo dataand registration command set from the host to the target printer. Thisenables the host to send the registration command set and logo data tothe target printer automatically when the host reads the image datastorage file or when the communication port number and other specificparameters are set.

Whether to include a port detection command set in the data transmissioncommand set is then determined (S334). If it is necessary to include theport detection command set (S334 returns yes), the port detectioncommand set is created. If the port detection command set is unnecessary(S334 returns no), the parameter input command set is created (S336).

FIG. 22 is a detailed flow chart of the logo registration filegenerating step (S340, FIG. 20).

After the command data set is created (S330, FIG. 20), the logoregistration file generating step (S340 in FIG. 22) starts. The firststep in this logo registration file generating routine is to create anexecutable command data set 41 containing the command set and logo data(print image data) to which the registration command set has been added(S341). This is indicated to the left of step S341 in FIG. 22. The logodata can be stored in the printer by sending this file containing theregistration command set and logo data from the host to the targetprinter.

It is then determined (S342) whether the data transmission command setwas generated in the command data set generating routine (S330). If itwas not (S342 returns no), the executable command data set 41 from stepS341 is output as the logo registration file 5. If the data transmissioncommand set was also generated (S342 returns yes), whether the portdetection command set is also present is determined (S343). If the portdetection command set was also created (S343 returns yes), the portdetection command set is combined with the data transmission command set(S344). If the port detection command set was not created (S343 returnsno), the parameter input command set is combined (S346).

A combined data set 42 (shown on the left side in FIG. 22) combining adata transmission command set with the executable command data set 41generated in step S341 is then created (S345).

If the port detection command set is included in the data transmissioncommand set in the combined command data set 42, the port detectioncommand is run when the logo registration file is read by the host, thecommunication port to which the printer is connected is automaticallydetected, and the registration command set and logo data areautomatically sent from the host to the printer.

If the parameter input command set is included in the data transmissioncommand set of the combined command data set 42 (FIG. 22), the parameterinput command set is run when the host reads the logo registration fileso that the communication port and other communication parameters can bespecified from the host. When the communication parameters are set, theregistration command set and logo data are sent to the printer from thespecified communication port.

[Effect of the Invention]

The effect of the present invention as described above is describedbelow. Full-color data can be easily converted to two-color print databy generating reduced color image data reducing full-color data to aspecific number of specified colors, such as eight colors, andconverting the generated reduced-color image data to color-convertedimage data converted to a main color, secondary color, or backgroundcolor based on a predefined color conversion method.

It is also possible to generate color-converted image data in whichcolors not present in the reduced-color image data are converted to themain color and/or secondary color. That is, color-converted image datahaving red pixels can be produced even when there are no red pixels inthe reduced-color image data by setting red to the main color and/orsecondary color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a function block diagram of a logo data generating apparatusapplying a two-color print data generating method according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the process for storing a logo using alogo editing tool and logo data generating apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a function block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a logoediting tool;

FIG. 4 is a function block diagram of a logo data generating apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a function block diagram of a logo data generating apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a function block diagram of a logo registration file outputmeans 18 according to a preferred embodiment of a logo data output means16 for generating a logo storage file;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a preferred embodiment of a logo editingmethod for creating source data.

FIG. 8 shows a preferred embodiment of the main screen of a logo editingtool or logo data generating apparatus;

FIG. 9 shows an example of the main editing screen according topreferred embodiment of a logo editing tool.

FIG. 10 shows an example of a size input dialog box displayed to specifythe size of the logo (source data) when creating new source data usingthe logo editing tool;

FIG. 11 shows an example of a text property input screen displayed toset text properties when editing the source data;

FIG. 12 shows an example of an image property input screen displayed toset image properties when creating or editing source data using the logoediting tool;

FIG. 13 shows an example of a position input screen displayed to specifythe position of a logo using the logo editing tool;

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing a preferred embodiment of the logogenerating method;

FIG. 15 shows an example of a logo editing screen used to set theparameters for reading the source data and generating the logo data;

FIG. 16 shows an example of a property input dialog box displayed by thelogo data generating apparatus to input text data in the propertiesinput box.

FIG. 17 shows an example of a screen for defining numerous colorassignments, (a) showing an example of a screen in which 15 colors canbe assigned to eight colors after reducing the source data to eightcolors, and (b) showing an example in which three colors are assigned tosource data reduced to eight colors;

FIG. 18 shows the relationship between the color assignment slider 251shown in FIG. 15 and the 15 colors that can be expressed using four dotsper pixel in a printer that can print two colors (three colors inincluding the non-printing color) per dot;

FIG. 19 shows an example of the selection dialog used for non-volatilememory management;

FIG. 20 is a flow chart of the process for generating the logoregistration file after creating the logo data;

FIG. 21 is a flow chart showing the detailed steps of the command dataset generating step (S330) in FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a flow chart showing the detailed steps of the logoregistration file generating step (S340) in FIG. 20;

FIG. 23 shows the basic configuration of OPOS;

FIG. 24 shows an example of a screen for controlling the imageadjustment settings in OPOS;

FIG. 25 is a detailed function block diagram showing a preferredembodiment of a data adjustment processor used in a logo data generatingapparatus;

FIG. 26 shows displaying object images on screen;

FIG. 27 is a function block diagram of a preferred embodiment of a grayscale processor used in a logo data generating apparatus;

FIG. 28 shows the concept of displaying reduced images in second andthird embodiments of a logo data generating apparatus;

FIG. 29 is a flow chart of an alternative embodiment of the logo datagenerating method;

FIG. 30 shows an example of a display when image processing is appliedseparately to individual objects; and

FIG. 31 shows an example of a display when image processing is appliedseperately to individual objects.

FIG. 32 is an example of a figure showing the position of a two-colorprint data generating apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 33 is an example of a figure showing the configuration of afunction block diagram of a two-color print data generating apparatusaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 34 shows a reduced-color image and color-converted image in thepresent invention;

FIG. 35 shows an example of a conversion table used in a fixedconversion method;

FIG. 36 is an example of a flow chart for a two-color print datagenerating process according to the present invention;

FIG. 37 is an example of a flow chart of the color conversion datasetting process.

KEY TO THE FIGURES

-   101 two-color data generator-   201 color-reduced image data generator-   202 color conversion unit-   203 print data conversion unit-   204 color conversion selection unit-   205 print data generating unit-   211 full-color data storage-   212 reduced-color image data memory-   213 color-converted image data storage-   214 print data memory-   215 settings storage

TEXT IN THE FIGURES FIG. 1 SOURCE DATA CAPTURE UNIT 10 SOURCE DATA IMAGEDISPLAY 11 INPUT --> PARAMETER DATA INPUT MEANS 12 DATA ADJUSTMENTPROCESSOR 13 MAIN CONTROLLER 14 LOGO DATA IMAGE DISPLAY 15 LOGO DATAOUTPUT MEANS 16 FIG. 2 PICTURE, PHOTOGRAPH, OR OTHER IMAGE 80 LOGOEDITING TOOL 2 SOURCE DATA 3 LOGO DATA GENERATING APPARATUS 4 PRINTER 60IMAGING EDITING TOOL 81 IMAGE FILE 82 BITMAP FILE 83 LOGO REGISTRATIONFILE 5 POS TERMINAL HOST SYSTEM 50 FIG. 3 IMAGE DATA CAPTURING MEANS 31IMAGE DATA STORAGE 32 IMAGE DATA PROCESSOR 33 TEXT DATA EDITOR 34 IMAGEDRAWING UNIT 35 DATA MERGING UNIT 36 SOURCE DATA OUTPUT UNIT 37 EDITINPUT UNIT 38 IMAGE DATA DISPLAY UNIT 39 FIG. 4 SOURCE DATA CAPTURE UNIT10 SOURCE DATA IMAGE DISPLAY 11 PARAMETER DATA INPUT MEANS 12 DATAADJUSTMENT PROCESSOR 13 MAIN CONTROLLER 14 LOGO DATA IMAGE DISPLAY 15LOGO DATA OUTPUT MEANS 16 IMAGE REDUCTION PROCESSOR 17 FIG. 5 SOURCEDATA CAPTURE UNIT 10 SOURCE DATA IMAGE DISPLAY 11 PARAMETER DATA INPUTMEANS 12 DATA ADJUSTMENT PROCESSOR 13 MAIN CONTROLLER 14 LOGO DATA IMAGEDISPLAY 15 LOGO DATA OUTPUT MEANS 16 IMAGE REDUCTION PROCESSOR 17 FIG. 6DATA ADJUSTMENT PROCESSOR 13 REGISTRATION COMMAND SET GENERATOR 22PARAMETER INPUT COMMAND SET GENERATOR 24 PORT DETECTION COMMAND SETGENERATOR 25 TRANSMISSION COMMAND SET GENERATOR 26 LOGO REGISTRATIONFILE GENERATOR 27 INTERFACE 21 --> TO STORAGE OR RECORDER --> TOTRANSMISSION LINE FIG. 7 LOGO EDITING PROCESS S101 READ IMAGE DATA? S102READ AND STORE S103 DRAWING, TEXT INPUT? S104 DRAWING, TEXT INPUTPROCESS S105 CHANGE SIZE AND MERGE IMAGE AND TEXT OBJECTS S106 ENDINPUT? S107 OUTPUT SOURCE DATA END FIG. 8 SOURCE FILE   REFERENCEPRINTER DATA NAME PAPER WIDTH COLOR 1 COLOR 2 RESOLUTION VERTICALHORIZONTAL COMMUNICATIONS PORT BAUD RATE BIT LENGTH PARITY FLOW CONTROLPROPERTIES NEW PREVIEW SAVE TO FILE MEMORY MANAGEMENT EDIT TEST PRINTSAVE TO PRINTER   QUIT FIG. 9 FILE   EDIT   DISPLAY   TOOLS READY FIG.10 COORDINATES PLEASE INPUT THE LOGO SIZE. WIDTH (W):   512 DOTS HEIGHT(H): 341 DOTS OK   CANCEL FIG. 11 TEXT PROPERTIES FONT STYLE SIZEOK/CANCEL STANDARD ITALIC BOLD BOLD ITALIC SET TEXT COLOR ATTRIBUTESSAMPLE OVERSTRIKE UNDERLINE ROTATE   0 DEGREES FIG. 12 IMAGE PROPERTIESOK/CANCEL FILE NAME PREVIEW DRAWING MODE   OPAQUE   TRANSPARENT FIT TOPAPER FIG. 13 COORDINATES OK/CANCEL START COORDINATES END COORDINATESFIG. 14 CREATE LOGO S201 CAPTURE SOURCE DATA (SELECT FILE) S202 DISPLAYIMAGES OF SOURCE DATA AND LOGO DATA S203 OBJECT SELECTED? S204 READ ANDDISPLAY OBJECT S205 IMAGE PROCESSING PARAMETERS INPUT? S206 PROCESSOBJECT S207 DISPLAY OBJECT AFTER PROCESSING S208 OUTPUT LOGO? S209 SAVESETTINGS? S210 OUTPUT LOGO DATA END FIG. 15 SOURCE FILE   REFERENCEPRINTER DATA NAME PAPER WIDTH COLOR 1 COLOR 2 RESOLUTION VERTICALHORIZONTAL COMMUNICATIONS PORT BAUD RATE BIT LENGTH PARITY FLOW CONTROLPROPERTIES OBJECT HALFTONE COLOR REDUCTION BRIGHTNESS GRAY SCALE COLORBLACK NEW PREVIEW SAVE TO FILE MEMORY MANAGEMENT EDIT TEST PRINT SAVE TOPRINTER   QUIT FIG. 16 PROPERTIES OBJECT TEXT 2 TEXT ABC TRADING COLOR  BLACK FIG. 17 CONVERT 8 COLOR DATA TO 15 COLORS PRINT COLOR COLOR 1COLOR 2 BLACK   RED SOURCE DATA PREVIEW COLOR ASSIGNMENT BLACK BLUE REDMAGENTA GREEN CYAN YELLOW WHITE CONVERT 8 COLOR DATA TO 3 COLORS PRINTCOLOR COLOR 1 COLOR 2 BLACK   RED SOURCE DATA PREVIEW COLOR ASSIGNMENTBLACK   FIRST   SECOND BLUE FIRST SECOND RED FIRST SECOND MAGENTA FIRSTSECOND GREEN   FIRST   SECOND CYAN FIRST SECOND YELLOW FIRST SECONDWHITE   FIRST   SECOND FIG. 18 SLIDER 251 FIG. 19 PRINTER MEMORYMANAGEMENT NV GRAPHIC KEY CODES LIST KEY CODES 261 SELECT ALL CLEARSELECTION PRINT DELETE   CLOSE FIG. 20 GENERATE LOGO REGISTRATION FILES310 CREATE LOGO DATA S330 GENERATE COMMAND DATA SET S340 GENERATE LOGOREGISTRATION FILE S350 OUTPUT LOGO REGISTRATION FILE END FIG. 21 S330GENERATE COMMAND DATA SET S331 GENERATE REGISTRATION COMMAND SET S332ADD DATA TRANSMISSION COMMAND SET? S333 GENERATE DATA TRANSMISSIONCOMMAND SET S334 INCLUDE PORT DETECTION COMMAND SET? S335 GENERATE PORTDETECTION COMMAND SET S336 GENERATE PARAMETER INPUT COMMAND SET TO S340FIG. 22 S340 GENERATE LOGO REGISTRATION FILE S341 ADD REGISTRATIONCOMMAND SET REGISTRATION COMMAND || LOGO DATA S342 DATA TRANSMISSIONCOMMAND SET DETECTED? S343 PORT DETECTION COMMAND SET DETECTED? S344 ADDPORT DETECTION COMMAND SET S345 ADD DATA TRANSMISSION COMMAND SET DATATRANSMISSION COMMAND SET || REGISTRATION COMMAND SET || LOGO DATA S346ADD PARAMETER INPUT COMMAND SET TO S350 FIG. 23 APPLICATION 70 CONTROLOBJECT (CO) 71 SERVICE OBJECT (SO) 72 OPERATING SYSTEM (WIN) 73 DEVICE(POS PRINTER) 74 FIG. 24 COLORS 401 COLOR CONVERSION METHOD FIXEDBRIGHTNESS BRIGHT   DARK COLOR COLOR 1   BLACK COLOR 2   BLACK OK  CANCEL    APPLY FIG. 25 SOURCE DATA CAPTURE UNIT 10 SOURCE DATA IMAGEDISPLAY 11 LOGO DATA IMAGE DISPLAY 15 PARAMETER INPUT --> PARAMETER DATAINPUT MEANS 12 TEMPORARY SOURCE DATA BUFFER 6 IMAGE PROCESSING MEANS 7OBJECT READ/WRITE CONTROLLER 8 LOGO DATA STORAGE 9 DATA ADJUSTMENTPROCESSOR 13 MAIN CONTROLLER 14 LOGO DATA OUTPUT MEANS 16 FIG. 27 IMAGEDATA OR OBJECT --> IMAGE DATA STORAGE 46 HALFTONE PROCESSOR 47 GRAYSCALE IMAGE MEMORY 48 COLOR SELECTION INPUT --> COLOR ASSIGNMENTPROCESSOR 49 --> OUTPUT CONTROL SIGNAL FIG. 28 SOURCE DATA 3 IMAGEPROCESSING (COLOR REDUCTION) 56 IMAGE REDUCTION PROCESS 57 TO PRINTER OROUTPUT FILE IMAGE DISPLAY 58 SOURCE DATA IMAGE  LOGO IMAGE FIG. 29 LOGODATA CREATION S401 CAPTURE SOURCE DATA S402 SOURCE DATA REDUCTIONPROCESS S403 DISPLAY SOURCE DATA IMAGE S404 IMAGE PROCESSING PARAMETERINPUT S405 IMAGE PROCESS SOURCE DATA A S406 IMAGE PROCESS REDUCED IMAGEA S407 SAVE PARAMETERS? S408 OUTPUT LOGO DATA FIG. 30 IMAGE 1 IMAGE 1′IMAGE 2 IMAGE 2′ PROPERTIES OBJECT IMAGE 2 IMAGE 1 HALFTONE COLORREDUCTION METHOD COARSE   FINE BRIGHTNESS BRIGHT   DARK GRAY SCALE COLOR    BLACK FIG. 31 PROPERTIES HALFTONE COLOR REDUCTION METHOD COARSE  FINE BRIGHTNESS BRIGHT   DARK GRAY SCALE COLOR     BLACK FIG. 32TWO-COLOR PRINT DATA GENERATOR 101 HOST 102 TWO-COLOR PRINTER 103 HOST[TWO-COLOR PRINT DATA GENERATOR] --> TWO-COLOR PRINTER HOST -->TWO-COLOR PRINTER [TWO-COLOR PRINT DATA GENERATOR] HOST [TWO-COLOR PRINTDATA GENERATOR] --> TWO-COLOR PRINTER [TWO-COLOR PRINT DATA GENERATOR]FIG. 33 COLOR-REDUCED IMAGE DATA GENERATOR 201 COLOR CONVERSION UNIT 202PRINT DATA CONVERSION UNIT 203 HOST --> COLOR CONVERSION SELECTION UNIT204 PRINT DATA GENERATING UNIT 205 HOST --> FULL-COLOR DATA STORAGE 211REDUCED-COLOR IMAGE DATA MEMORY 212 COLOR-CONVERTED IMAGE DATA STORAGE213 PRINT DATA MEMORY 214 --> TWO-COLOR PRINTER SETTINGS STORAGE 215FIG. 34 FULL-COLOR IMAGE COLOR REDUCTION PROCESS REDUCED-COLOR IMAGERED, GREEN, BLUE, CYAN, MAGENTA, YELLOW, BLACK, WHITE COLOR CONVERSIONPROCESS COLOR-CONVERTED IMAGE RED: SECONDARY COLOR BLACK: MAIN COLORWHITE: BACKGROUND COLOR FIG. 35 COLOR K (=BLACK) B (=BLUE) G (=GREEN) C(=CYAN) R (=RED) M (=MAGENTA) Y (=YELLOW) W (=WHITE) R (=RED) G (=GREEN)B (=BLUE) MAIN COLOR K (=BLACK)   B (=BLUE) SECONDARY COLOR R (=RED)   R(=RED) K (=BLACK) B (=BLUE) R (=RED) R (=RED) R (=RED) R (=RED) R (=RED)R (=RED) R (=RED) R (=RED) R (=RED) R (=RED) R (=RED) R (=RED) W(=WHITE) W (=WHITE) FIG. 36 TWO-COLOR PRINT DATA GENERATING PROCESS S501GET FULL-COLOR IMAGE DATA S502 COLOR REDUCTION PROCESS S503 STOREDREDUCED-COLOR IMAGE DATA S504 GET COLOR CONVERSION PROCESS SETTINGS S505DETERMINE COLOR CONVERSION METHOD FIXED CONVERSION S506 GENERATECOLOR-CONVERTED IMAGE DATA USING FIXED CONVERSION METHOD S507 STORECOLOR-CONVERTED IMAGE DATA S508 GENERATE TWO-COLOR PRINT DATA S509 STORETWO-COLOR PRINT DATA ADJUSTABLE CONVERSION S514 GENERATE COLOR-CONVERTEDIMAGE DATA USING ADJUSTABLE CONVERSION METHOD S515 STORE COLOR-CONVERTEDIMAGE DATA S516 GENERATE TWO-COLOR PRINT DATA S517 STORE TWO-COLOR PRINTDATA END FIG. 37 SETTING COLOR CONVERSION PROCESS PARAMETERS S601 SETMAIN COLOR AND SECONDARY COLORS S602 SET COLOR CONVERSION METHOD S603DETERMINE COLOR CONVERSION METHOD VARIABLE CONVERSION S605 SETCONVERSION PROCESS PARAMETERS FIXED CONVERSION S606 STORE COLORCONVERSION PROCESS PARAMETERS END

1. A method for generating two-color print data, comprising the stepsof: (a) reducing full-color digital image data to reduced-color digitalimage data by reducing the color of each pixel in the full-color digitalimage data to one of eight colors, wherein the color of each pixel inthe reduced-color digital image data is defined by first, second andthird primary colors, each primary color capable of exhibiting either afirst intensity or a second intensity; and (b) generating two-colorprint data by converting the color of each pixel in the reduced-colordigital image data to a main color, a secondary color, or a backgroundcolor according to the following rules: (1) for each pixel whose threeprimary colors each exhibit its first intensity convert that pixel tothe main color, (2) for each pixel whose three primary colors eachexhibit its second intensity convert that pixel to the background color,and (3) for each pixel that does not satisfy either of conditions (1) or(2) convert that pixel to the secondary color.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the color of each pixel in the full-color digital image data isdefined by the first, second and third primary colors, each primarycolor capable of exhibiting one of a plurality of intensities, and step(a) comprises comparing the intensity of the first primary color of eachpixel in the full-color digital image data with a first threshold,comparing the intensity of the second primary color of each pixel in thefull-color digital image data with a second threshold, and comparing theintensity of the third primary color of each pixel in the full-colordigital image data with a third threshold, and reducing the color ofeach pixel in the full-color digital image data based on the results ofthe comparisons.
 3. The method of claim of 1, wherein the first, secondand third primary colors are red, green, and blue.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the first, second and third primary colors are cyan,magenta, and yellow.
 5. A method for generating two-color print data,comprising the steps of: (a) reducing full-color digital image data toreduced-color digital image data by reducing the color of each pixel inthe full-color digital image data to one of a predetermined number ofcolors, wherein the predetermined number of colors is eight or less; and(b) generating two-color print data by converting each color in thereduced-color digital image data to a main color, a secondary color, ora background color, wherein the converting is performed according to oneof the following: (1) uniformly converting each color in thereduced-color digital image data based on predefined conditions, or (2)converting each color in the reduced-color digital image data based on achangeable conversion table linking each color to the main color,secondary color, or background color.
 6. The method of claim 5, whereinin step (a) each color in the full-color digital image data is reducedto a color defined by first, second and third primary colors, eachprimary color capable of exhibiting either a first intensity or a secondintensity, and step (b)(1) generates two-color print data by convertingeach color in the reduced-color digital image data to the main color,the secondary color, or the background color according to one of thefollowing rules: (1) for each color whose three primary colors eachexhibit its first intensity convert that pixel to the main color, (2)for each color whose three primary colors each exhibit its secondintensity convert that pixel to the background color, and (3) for eachcolor that does not satisfy either of conditions (1) or (2) convert thatpixel to the secondary color.
 7. A two-color print data generatingapparatus, comprising: a reduced-color image data generating unitconfigured to reduce full-color digital image data to reduced-colordigital image data by reducing the color of each pixel in the full-colordigital image data to one of eight colors, wherein the color of eachpixel in the reduced-color digital image data is defined by first,second and third primary colors, each primary color capable ofexhibiting either a first intensity or a second intensity; and a printdata generating unit configured to generate two-color print data byconverting the color of each pixel in the reduced-color digital imagedata to a main color, a secondary color, or a background color accordingto the following rules: (1) for each pixel whose three primary colorseach exhibit its first intensity convert that pixel to the main color,(2) for each pixel whose three primary colors each exhibit its secondintensity convert that pixel to the background color, and (3) for eachpixel that does not satisfy either of conditions (1) or (2) convert thatpixel to the secondary color.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein thecolor of each pixel in the full-color digital image data is defined bythe first, second and third primary colors, each primary color capableof exhibiting one of a plurality of intensities, and the reduced-colorimage data generating unit is further configured to compare theintensity of the first primary color of each pixel in the full-colordigital image data with a first threshold, compare the intensity of thesecond primary color of each pixel in the full-color digital image datawith a second threshold, and compare the intensity of the third primarycolor of each pixel in the full-color digital image data with a thirdthreshold, and reduce the color of each pixel in the full-color digitalimage data based on the results of the comparisons.
 9. The apparatus ofclaim 7, wherein the first, second and third primary colors are red,green, and blue.
 10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first, secondand third primary colors are cyan, magenta, and yellow.
 11. A two-colorprint data generating apparatus, comprising: a reduced-color image datagenerating unit configured to reduce full-color digital image data toreduced-color digital image data by reducing the color of each pixel inthe full-color digital image data to one of a predetermined number ofcolors, wherein the predetermined number of colors is eight or less; anda print data generating unit configured to generate two-color print databy converting each color in the reduced-color digital image data to amain color, a secondary color, or a background color, wherein theconverting is performed according to one of the following: (1) uniformlyconverting each color in the reduced-color digital image data based onpredefined conditions, or (2) converting each color in the reduced-colordigital image data based on a changeable conversion table linking eachcolor to the main color, secondary color, or background color.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein the reduced-color image data generatingunit is configured to reduce each color in the full-color digital imagedata to a color defined by first, second and third primary colors, eachprimary color capable of exhibiting either a first intensity or a secondintensity, and the print data generating unit is configured to generatetwo-color print data by converting each color in the reduced-colordigital image data to the main color, the secondary color, or thebackground color according to one of the following rules: (1) for eachcolor whose three primary colors each exhibit its first intensityconvert that pixel to the main color, (2) for each color whose threeprimary colors each exhibit its second intensity convert that pixel tothe background color, and (3) for each color that does not satisfyeither of conditions (1) or (2) convert that pixel to the secondarycolor.
 13. A computer-readable medium containing a program ofinstructions for directing a machine to perform a method of generatingtwo-color print data, the program of instructions comprising: (a)instructions for reducing full-color digital image data to reduced-colordigital image data by reducing the color of each pixel in the full-colordigital image data to one of eight colors, wherein the color of eachpixel in the reduced-color digital image data is defined by first,second and third primary colors, each primary color capable ofexhibiting either a first intensity or a second intensity; and (b)instructions for generating two-color print data by converting the colorof each pixel in the reduced-color digital image data to a main color, asecondary color, or a background color according to the following rules:(1) for each pixel whose three primary colors each exhibit its firstintensity convert that pixel to the main color, (2) for each pixel whosethree primary colors each exhibit its second intensity convert thatpixel to the background color, and (3) for each pixel that does notsatisfy either of conditions (1) or (2) convert that pixel to thesecondary color.
 14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, whereinthe color of each pixel in the full-color digital image data is definedby the first, second and third primary colors, each primary colorcapable of exhibiting one of a plurality of intensities, andinstructions (a) comprise comparing the intensity of the first primarycolor of each pixel in the full-color digital image data with a firstthreshold, comparing the intensity of the second primary color of eachpixel in the full-color digital image data with a second threshold, andcomparing the intensity of the third primary color of each pixel in thefull-color digital image data with a third threshold, and reducing thecolor of each pixel in the full-color digital image data based on theresults of the comparisons.
 15. The computer-readable medium of claim of13, wherein the first, second and third primary colors are red, green,and blue.
 16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein thefirst, second and third primary colors are cyan, magenta, and yellow.